An Audience with Dr Ashwin Vaidya, Ophthalmologist, Ratnagiri
Viewfinder: Welcome to this edition of Viewfinder where we explore and find out more about the hidden gems in Kokan. Here we focus on the works of Dr Ashwin Vaidya, an Ophthalmologist by the day he is an avid birder Ornithologist. Dr Vaidya combines this with his photographic brilliance, an intuitive ability to compose images and humour-filled storytelling.
Has being an ophthalmologist got anything to do with your interest in ornithology?
Me being an ophthalmologist, had nothing to do with getting interested in ornithology. I was an accidental bird lover.
How did the interest and journey begin?
Many years back, my mother-in-law expired after fighting cancer. My wife gave me her binoculars. In Ratnagiri, our apartment is next to a green zone. Basically, a large area of trees where no human development is allowed. Casually observing this wooded area through the binoculars, I was amazed by the collection of beautiful, colourful birds. Birds that I was totally unaware of. I had no idea of their names, what they ate or how they survived. From here, my accidental ornithological journey began.
You have visited many bird sanctuaries, which stand out in your mind? Why?
Here in India, I absolutely love The Keoladad (Bharatpur) bird sanctuary. Primarily because of the ease at which you can observe the birds in the open. The Thattekad bird sanctuary in Kerala however is a place to actually see what dense primary forests look like. The trees here are easily 100 feet tall and locating birds may be tough, but the jungles are something out of this world.
What about Kokan, do we have select destinations for avid birders to visit in Ratnagiri and its surrounds?
Luckily for a bird lover like me, Konkan is less densely populated, and cultivated as compared to the plains. As soon as you leave the city limits, you start encountering trees and greenery. There is so much greenery in each village, that one tends to find birds everywhere. When we are exploring, we just start walking along a village path looking out for birds. In summer we hunt around the waterholes, for that's where the birds converge.
Are there guided excursions in Kokan? Perhaps workshops to get more people introduced to getting started locally?
Unfortunately, there are no birding guides as such in the Konkan area of Maharashtra. I know of birding guides in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. Here in Maharashtra, there are some locations where a local person has built a hide, and one can do birding there.
What’s the best way to get started in bird watching? Any self-help ideas for a budding ornithologist that could be handy?
The best way to get started in birding is to give yourself one hour every day, either in the morning or evening. Put on a good pair of walking shoes and just roam around in your area. It may be the local park, the lane where you live or your own backyard. Birds are everywhere. We are surrounded by them and yet we are oblivious to their presence. It's like we have developed a blind spot as far as they are concerned. Of course, a pair of binoculars and a handbook of local birds helps tremendously. Tag along with a person who has more experience than you. This person will help you to get to the local hot spots quickly. Once you have developed a band of local birders, you will be regularly hunting for birds in your area. The larger the group, the larger the number of eyes looking out for birds. You will very soon develop a sound knowledge of what birds are to be found regularly in your area, their natural habitats, their feeding/ nesting behaviour etc.
For a person just starting to develop an interest in bird photography - what basic equipment is worth investing in?
Bird photography is a totally different ball game from birding. Here you are trying to capture the bird in your camera. Bird photography, in my opinion, is one of the toughest and most difficult genres of photography. One has to know the basics of photography, plus one has to invest in high-end camera bodies and long heavy lenses. Carrying so much equipment on your body is physically demanding. The toughest part in my opinion is hand-eye coordination. Spotting the bird in the tree with your eyes is easy. Getting it in your frame requires practice. A basic camera body (now we have the mirrorless ones), and at least a 100-400mm lens, are the minimum basic equipment that one needs. A starting point could be the new prosumer cameras (better than the point-and-shoot varieties) with 35x zoom. They are relatively cheaper. If you develop an interest in the subject, then invest further in expensive photography equipment.
How has the interest in bird photography helped you as a person and might it have influenced you as a doctor?
Bird watching has basically made me realise, how little one really needs to be comfortable and content. Watching a bird take a bath in the dew collected on the surface of a leaf is a good example of that. Birds live only for the day. They eat only as much as they require. I have yet to meet an obese bird in the wild. Some birds are strongly monogamous and enjoy a strong lifelong bond with their mates. The way the parent birds take care of their young is an ideal study for wannabe parents. Also, the way they teach their kids the art of survival and finally set them out from their nest teaches us, humans, not to molly-coddle our kids too much. There is much to learn from nature, if one has the time and the inclination. Birding has somehow brought more empathy in my outlook towards my patients. Just as I wish to help the birds in any which way I can,( building a small pond for them, planting lots of trees etc), I have developed a more charitable outlook towards my patients.
What are your best finds in Kokan?
My best finds on the Konkan are The Great Indian Hornbill, a critically endangered bird, now found only in the western ghats and the forests of the northeast. The second really rare bird we captured was the Slaty-breasted rail.
For a tourist in Kokan - what birds might they be looking to spot on their walks?
The common birds to find in any part of Konkan would be those listed below. There are many more birds who are seasonal visitors, as the western ghat forms an important corridor for the north-south migration of birds.
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